Buck Butler’s homebred Rotknee rolls to victory in Sunday’s Damon Runyon for NY-bred 3-year-olds. Susie Raisher/NYRA Photo.
By Tom Law
William “Buck” Butler’s second-generation homebred Rotknee continued his ascent up the New York-bred 3-year-old male division with a front-running victory in Sunday’s $97,000 Damon Runyon Stakes at Aqueduct.
A month removed from running an allowance-optional field off their feet early on the way to a 3-length comeback win, Rotknee did it again in the 7-furlong Runyon. The son of Runhappy broke sharp, opened up quick on his four opponents and stayed on through the stretch to win by 2 3/4 lengths over Agility.
Rotknee also went to the front early in his maiden victory going 6 furlongs Aug. 1 at Saratoga Race Course. Butler and jockey Manny Franco both conceded after the victory that they planned those tactics again for the Damon Runyon with trainer Mike Maker.
“That was the plan,” Franco said. “I didn’t want to change anything with him. I rode him last time and I went to the lead and he kept going. So, going seven-eighths today, I expected to be on the lead, too. I let him break out of there, got the lead and he did the rest.”
“What was not to like?” Butler said. “I heard from Mike, we were looking to do what we did. The fact that he had no company [on the front end], I was thrilled. We hadn’t done the 7 furlongs before so that gave me a little trepidation coming down, but he pulled out all stops.”
The 2-1 second choice behind the 3-5 favorite Best Idea, who came into the Damon Runyon off a 5 3/4-length debut victory Feb. 12 at Aqueduct, Rotknee was 1 1/2 lengths in front through the opening quarter-mile in :23.37 with Agility.
Rotknee continued the maintain that same advantage over Agility around the far turn and to the half in :46.69 while Mister Larry, Best Idea and G Munning lagged 5 or more lengths back on the bend. Dylan Davis went to the whip on Agility approaching the quarter pole, trying to cut into Rotknee’s advantage to no avail. Rotknee went past the eighth pole 3 lengths clear and Franco stayed busy in deep stretch.
Agility held second and the finish, 5 3/4 lengths ahead of G Munning, who edged Best Idea by a nose for the show spot. Rotknee won in 1:27.06 over the fast track.
“I was happy with my position, he was just lugging in with me down the stretch,” Davis said of Agility, second last time to Rotknee’s stablemate Barese in the Rego Park Stakes Jan. 9 at Aqueduct. “I thought he got in his own way – he stayed on his left lead the whole time. I talked to [trainer Jorge Abreu] and we’re going to change the bit on him and maybe stretch him out a little more. I thought if he was able to be straight and switch his leads properly and maintain a straight course, he would have won this race, for sure.”
Manny Franco rode Rotknee to 3-length win in February and again Sunday in the Damon Runyon. Joe Labozzetta/NYRA Photo.
Foaled at Keane Stud in Amenia, Rotknee is the second foal out of the winning Speightstown mare In Spite of Mama. The mare’s first foal, Lookin for Trouble, a 4-year-old New York-bred son of Into Mischief, finished a game second in a state-bred allowance-optional two races after the Damon Runyon. In Spite of Mama is also the dam of the 2-year-old New York-bred Bolt d’Oro colt Mama’s Gold and a yearling filly by Audible. She was bred to 2019 Preakness Stakes winner War of Will in 2021.
In Spite of Mama, a 10-year-old out of the Carson City mare Mama Theresa, went 3-2-2 in 17 starts for Butler and Maker from 2014 to 2016.
Butler bought Mama Theresa for $65,000 at the 2005 OBS April sale of 2-year-olds in training. She won six of 25 starts, placed in two stakes and earned $240,898 for Butler and Timothy Twomey and the late trainer Dominic Galluscio. In Spite of Mama is Mama Theresa’s second foal and a half-sister to four other winners, including stakes winner A Freud of Mama, an earner of $399,818 who also finished third in the Grade 3 Matron Stakes at Belmont Park in 2019 for Butler and Maker.
“Mama Theresa … she’s the base that we’ve put this all together from,” Butler said. “For a guy that’s learning the ropes here, she’s been very good to me.”
Rotknee picked up $55,000 for his connections and improved to 3-for-4 in his career. He finished second in his debut, a 5 ½-furlong maiden on a muddy track July 9 at Belmont Park. Rotknee won his second start, taking a similar state-bred maiden at 6 furlongs Aug. 1 at Saratoga. He came out of that an injury to a splint bone and missed the rest of his juvenile season.
Maker wasn’t sure Rotknee was completely ready for his comeback – despite seven breezes over the Belmont training track from Dec. 19 to Feb. 2 – but he showed no signs of rust in his 3-length victory under Franco.
